The present invention relates in general to improvements in apparatus and methods for fabricating structural components. More particularly, this invention concerns a truss assembly apparatus and method having an automated truss movement assembly.
Prefabricated building components, now widely utilized in the construction industry, are typically assembled at a manufacturing facility and then transported to the job site for incorporation into a building structure. Prefabricated trusses for use as roof or floor supports are assembled from pre-cut wooden chord and web members positioned in abutting relationship and connected together using toothed fastener plates.
Truss assembly devices have been developed for performing this task semi-automatically. The pre-cut wooden members are positioned manually over a support surface and clamped in place, after which connector plates are laid over the abutting joints. The connector plates are then embedded into the members with a gantry or other press to secure the joints on one. side. The semi-complete truss is then turned over and similarly secured at the joints on the opposite side.
Various arrangements or truss tables in gantry presses have been employed in the truss assembly devices of the prior art. The prior truss assembly devices, however, have several shortcomings. The clamping methods utilized by the prior machines have been found inadequate in terms of adjustability, positive actuation and the like. In addition, the prior machines have been relatively slow in operation because movement of the trusses on the table during fabrication has been done primarily manually.
There exists a need for a new and improved truss assembly apparatus.
A truss assembly apparatus and method for assembling a truss utilizing the apparatus are presented, the apparatus comprising a truss table having a work surface with a first and second assembly zone. A first clamping assembly has a movable first clamp rail for clamping the truss in the first assembly zone, the first clamp rail having at least one flip-arm recess therein. A flip-over assembly has at least one flip-over arm movable relative to the work surface for moving the truss from a first truss position in the first assembly zone to a second truss position in the second assembly zone, the flip-over arm having a lower end movable into the flip-arm recess of the first clamp rail. The flip-over arm may be movable between a home position adjacent the work surface and an extended position, wherein the lower end of the flip arm is positioned in the flip-arm recess when the flip-over arm is in the extended position. The flip-over arm may be perpendicular to the work surface when the flip-over arm is in the extended position. The apparatus may have a plurality of such recesses and flip arms. The truss assembly apparatus may further comprise a second clamping assembly having a movable second clamp rail for clamping the truss in the second assembly zone, the second clamp rail having. a flip-arm recess therein, the lower end of the flip-over arm movable into the flip-arm recess of the second clamp rail.
The truss assembly apparatus may further comprise a lift-out assembly having a lift-out arm movable relative to the work surface for moving a truss from the second truss position to a finished position spaced from the work surface. The lift-out arm has a first end movable through a lift-out arm recess in the second clamp rail. The lift-out assembly may comprise a plurality of lift-out arms movable through a plurality of corresponding lift-out recesses.
The truss assembly apparatus may also have flip-over arms with clamp-rail recesses, wherein the flip-over arms are movable such that at least a portion of the first clamp rail is positioned in the clamp-rail recess of the flip-over arms. The flip-over arm may be movable such that at least a portion of the second clamp rail is positioned in the clamp-rail recess as well.